Making an appointment with the sea

Many years ago, a man accompanied me to see a bench in his hometown. When he knew that it was the first time that I had seen the sea and a bench, he told me he was very happy that he was on the first bench that I had ever seen.

I could not understand him at that time. Although it was the first time thatI had seen the sea, it seemed to me quite ordinary: tiny grains of sand that swirled with the wind, a view so far that I could not see what was there, the wind that blew my hair over my face,  quite cold weather that made me long for a warm house……but the way he said these words to me is still in my memory: back in the car, he fastened his seat belt and stopped still and said to me with a very solemn air, a little bit shy, that he was hoping I would remember this moment.

I knew England is a country that is surrounded by sea. Once I arrived in Brighton, Annie, who shares her house with me, told me I could see the sea from my room. Unfortunately, it was always misty and I could not see anything but some normal houses and some buildings.

“You must believe me: the sea is over there. One day when you wake up, you will see the blue sea under the blue sky with a shining sun.”

Really? How far is the sea from here? What is life like in Brighton? What is going on in Brighton? What’s inside Brighton?I wonder, but I have to explore it step by step.

The first thing I had to learn was to buy some necessities such as food, rain clothes,a bicycle and a cell phone so that I could connect with my family far far away over the sea. People told me that Churchill Square was the shopping centre where I could buy everything. I had been to Churchill Square several times. The road from my new home to Churchill Square through London Road is becoming like a place in myhometown. I even tried to explore a little bit further to other roads. Even if I got lost, I could return to London Road and then find the house where I live.

Finally, one morning I vaguely see the sea through one of the windows of my room. It seems very near to my room, I felt I could scratch it with my hand, but where on earth is the sea?

Last Tuesday, I went to Churchill Square again for a cell phone. I suddenly caught sight of the sea. The sea was just at the end of the road, fifty meters away! But I closed my eyes and turned to the other road. “I must prepare myself much better so that I can really impress the sea somehow.” I said to myself. At least I should have a camera.

After I bought a cell phone with a good camera, it was dark. Maybe the sea in the dark would prepare something special for me. With this thought, I went all the way to the sea. But I saw nothing. Another road stopped me, I supposed the sea was just over this road,but I could not find a way to go through the road that was full of traffic. It rained again. It was so cold that I had to return home.

I had missed the sea again. But now I knew where the sea was. I put the sea to one side, but it has been sneaking into my dreams since then.

Last Saturday, the sun made an appointment with the sea for me, so I just followed this guiding messenger, the sunshine, to see the sea.

I rode my bicycle right down to the sea front and turn left. Later on I found out it was to the east------the opposite direction I had intended to go when I had no idea where I should go. I have always wondered what it would be like to the west of the sun and I shall try to explore it a little bit by going to the west when I have no other destination.

However, in a new place, I lost all sense of direction. I have no idea where was the east, where was the west, where was home. I certainly did not know where I should go, but just knew I had to go ahead, even if it was the wrong direction. Because I had no fixed destination, all the scenes I rode through attracted me to go further. But where should I  stay and rest for a while so that my soul and body could come together?

Why did the sea just stop here? What was the sea looking for all the way here? What did the sea bring here? I have never had a trip over the sea: what would I feel when I just see the mighty and boundless ocean around me and I cannot see my destination? I expect the sea could take me to a place where my heart is longing to be. I suddenly realized the sea just stopped here for a special reason, for a special person. It finally found the destination that it was looking for all through its life.

That’s the reason the sea stopped here. All the stories it had experienced appointed a proxy to bring greetings from far far away and long long ago to the shore that had been waiting here for it all the time .……it then stopped and expected an eternal and permanent relationship with the people on the shore.

I then got off my bicycle and looked over toward the sea. I could not see the bench that I first met many years ago. But finally I understood what the man had told me. Even if it was just a moment, even if it was just a very short story without any results, it planted the initial aspiration in my heart. When the scene of the sea came to me once again, the memory engraved in my heart was revived: it became an eternal and permanent story like the one which all our hearts are seeking.

At the exact time, a Christian brother walked toward me. He offered me the great gift of showing me around his bench. And I am also happy that there is a man waiting for me on his bench. Many years later, when I leave this seashore and live on the mainland, I will miss the sea, the seashore and this brother......Won’t I?